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i think it all depends on the reason of the person in question and severity of the habit. if you are doing it because you like pain... well that is more of a fetish (nothing wrong with that). but if you do it because of things going on in life... like bad things.... well.... i don't know. it is not such a good idea. but some people usually mistake it as a cry for attention which is not always the case, and it is really annoying when people asume that. i cannot say that i really have a view on it.... as long as it is not over something like a boy/girl (kind of like when friends fight over something like that) that, i think, is childish and immature. but yeah.... all depends on the situation. personally, i would not stop someone from doing it if it was not really bad. if they could (figuratively speaking of course) breath through their arms/legs/whatever, then that is just taking it too far. then something would need to be done. but i understand the need to feel something you are causing on your own, having a sense of control is good sometimes (especially if you don't usually get that). and i would not want to be a hypocrite... of course if it is a stress thing, there are so many things that help with that. and so in that case, you are just not helping yourself... but then again maybe it doesn't need to be helped? blah! i didn't need to say all that. well i am done now.

I have also been a self mutilater so I understand it from first hand experience. It all has to do with self control. When everything seems to be going wrong and your moods are so out of control, you just can't find any common ground and it can lead to some dangerous habits. Self mutilation is certainly one of them. You can express your internal pain by letting it out external with whatever weapon you have available, whether it's a pocket knife or a razer blade.

For people who don't do it it's hard to understand someone doing that to themselves because when they cut themselves it hurts! Why would someone cut themselves [on purpose]???

When it gets as bad as cutting, we go numb. Not from cutting; from our internal pain. In fact cutting is a real release and makes you feel better. You can control what to cut yourself with, when, how deep, where on your body, in what way; it all comes down to control. Anorexia, bulimia, over-exercising, over-eating, smoking, drinking- it all has to do with control. (Unless people were sucked into it by peer pressure. It doesn't have to do with control, it has to do with acceptance.)

A lot of people think that the first three I stated are because they have a bad self image of oneself, that they're too fat. THAT IS SO WRONG! It's a liberation of a whole new kind of self control. They can control what they eat, how much to eat, and when. They control how much to keep down and when is a good time to throw it up. They control how much they exercise and when to do it.

Now it all comes down to signs and when people should pay most attention to people who might have any of these problems:

1. They aren't going to any of the social events that they used to, like sports or school dances.
2. They aren't hanging out with the friends they used to as much, or they may have found a different group entirely.
3. They're more inclusive and quiet, often times very irritable and defensive.
4. They have a lot of things going on. Maybe it's a big exam or graduation. That can put a lot of stress on people.
5. They're sleeping too much or too little.
6. They're breaking more rules than they used to.
7. Grades are dropping significantly.
8. You can see a big mood swing roller coaster on a regular basis.
9. They're making up excuses to where they've been or why they need to stay home.


It's scary what an epidemic all these things are becoming. Cutting has now become a hobby among friends to see who can cut the deepest. Has anyone heard about that?

Basically it all comes down to control. That's it. My opinion is now stated. ^_^

i hate it. i used to do it myself and i could never understand why people got so worked up over it. then i managed to pull myself out of my rut and stopped cutting and everything else bad that i was doing and realised that there is absolutely no point in cutting.. it hurts people so badly when they see what you are doing to yourself. i no that now cos since i have stopped a few of my freinds have shown me what they have done and it felt awful.. i didnt get mad at them cos i no that only would have made them feel worse, and they would be afraid to come out and open up to anyone else so they could be helped... but god it was really hard for me to keep my cool and just sit there while they told me how they did it. it is so upsetting!

i can appreciate that it really helps some people, and that is all they have cos they feel like no one will listen to their problems, but it really aggrivates me when ppl just do it for the sake of doing it. they just follow the trend and that is where i draw the line. as far as im concerned that is just totally rediculous!(sp?) i have no time for people like that. they make me sic!

evil

Okay, that would be very ironic. neutral

Honestly, I think that if you know people who are doing it, for whatever reason, you need to get them some help. It's not just some phase, it's a dangerous habit that could easily turn into an accidental suicide. Talk to somebody about it, don't just let it continue.

Okay, that would be very ironic. neutral

Honestly, I think that if you know people who are doing it, for whatever reason, you need to get them some help. It's not just some phase, it's a dangerous habit that could easily turn into an accidental suicide. Talk to somebody about it, don't just let it continue.

Haha you know what I mean...But no, If you know anyone who does it or did it you would know that forceing them into help will do NO good. Unless they are completly ready you do nothing but harm. I would get her help, but she isen't really ready for it. She was taking to a health teacher she trusted and was getting better, but it's summer so she can't see him, and now trys to act like nothing's wrong. But if you force someone into help/treatment it does no good...if not backfires. Otherwise I'd have gotten her haelp long ago.

-Kacy

I have a friend that is horrid about it. I spent a school year trying to talk her out of it. Unless she gets out of hand or forgets her pills she doesn't usually.

ive done it for the past 2 years. i dont do it cause it makes pain go away or i want to die or anything like that. i just think i have to do it cause i deserve it. like i did something wrong and i have to punish myself, so i cut my arms every now and then. i dont do it as much as i used to, but my arms are scarred up pretty bad. i still do it every now and then when im just so down i feel like i caused it some how. i think thats considered self destructive